Imperial supports e-cigarette regulation in Canada

Imperial Tobacco Canada has entered the debate about electronic cigarettes, which are not approved for sale in Canada but which are available for purchase.

In a letter published in the Montreal Gazette, Caroline Ferland, vice president corporate and regulatory affairs, said Imperial fully supported the introduction of a regulatory framework that would allow the legal introduction of electronic cigarettes into the Canadian marketplace. ‘We feel it is of utmost importance that this framework puts product quality and consumer safety as a priority, while reflecting the unique nature of the product – that they are not tobacco products and should thus not be regulated in the same way’ she said.

‘Currently, any nicotine-containing e-cigarettes must be approved by Health Canada before entering the market. At this time no such products have received regulatory approval, yet nevertheless products are being sold across the country due to a lack of enforcement.

‘We encourage Health Canada to act quickly in implementing a regulatory framework that allows the commercialization of such products.’